Gone are the days when a good reference and a deposit were your golden ticket to a new home. Fast forward to 2024, and you'll need a bit more flair to land that dream pad. With a 40% increase in tenant numbers since 2019 and a 35% drop in available properties, the rental market is more competitive than ever. Rightmove reports an average of 25 inquiries per listing, up from just 8 pre-pandemic (apocalypse) times. So, how do you go about outshining other tenants in this wacky rental race? Don’t worry, Davies and Davies are here to spill the beans on how to really stand out and snap up that dream abode before anyone else gets a look in…

Breaking up is hard to do, but breaking up with a joint mortgage can be a whole new level of complicated. So, you've consciously (or unconsciously) uncoupled, and now you're left wondering, where did our joint Netflix subscription go? Though you both signed on the dotted line of that Stroud Green terrace, dreaming of a future filled with cosy nights in and lazy Sunday mornings… alas. Love is fickle, and now you find yourself navigating the treacherous waters of separation. What's next for that shared mortgage and Netflix plan? Davies and Davies are here to guide you through this murky sea of property ownership drama with a strong cup of tea and a tissue box full of joint mortgage know-how.

Come on in, landlords and don’t forget to wipe your feet on your own welcome mat. So, you've got new tenants moving in soon? It's time to put on your landlord hat and buckle up for the true adventure that is renting out your property. But before your tenants start plotting where to put their favourite houseplants or debating the best spot for their cosy bean bag chair, let's make sure you've got everything in order. Here’s our five point essential guide to help you prep for your soon-to-be happy new tenants.

If you've ever felt like deciphering types of tenancy is akin to cracking secret codes, fear not - your Davies and Davies property guru is here to shed some light on the various types of tenancies you might encounter on your journey to finding the perfect rental abode. So grab your £5 flat white (/the real reason you’re still renting apparently), settle into your rented faux leather two seater, and let's find out once and for all which tenancy type is you all over…

Well hello there, property owners, aspiring landlords and first daters. So, you’ve decided to get your property valued. Great move! Now comes the fun (daunting) part: making sure you ask all the right property valuation questions during that all-important meeting. Think of it like a first date - you want to know as much as possible before committing. And without getting sauce down your shirt in the process. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back with the top eight questions you need to ask to ensure you’re getting the best advice. And no, it isn’t actually a first date so you can put that rose away Brian.

Navigating the UK mortgage jungle just got a tad easier with the launch of the 'Own New Rate Reducer' scheme in February 2024, where mortgage rates don't just dip; they do a full-on swan dive. It's hailed as the latest magic trick by Own New, a property finance maestro that's teamed up with lenders and homebuilders, to make owning a new build not just a dream but a very achievable reality.

Are you tired of scrolling through endless online listings for rental properties, only to be disappointed when you finally view them in person? Well, fear not my fellow renters. For we have compiled a list of essential rental viewing questions that will help you determine if that dream apartment is really the one for you.

Is the closest thing to a garden right now the mould currently growing on that forgotten coffee cup under the sofa? Are you drooling over Insta’s endless reels of ivy-clad courtyards with rose archways and beautiful blossom trees? While some indoor house plants wouldn’t go amiss to start, if you have a small patio, balcony or even just a windowsill, there’s still plenty of scope to create an urban oasis. Transforming your no-garden space into an urban oasis isn't just a dream. It’s becoming crucial for our wellbeing (and bragging rights on how on earth you've turned a tiny balcony into a slice of paradise). With a little creativity and the right know-how, you can also maximise your property's potential should you be thinking of selling...

Well, well, well, 2023 was quite the rollercoaster for our dear housing market wasn’t it? Prices dropped for the first time in over a decade, leaving homeowners in a bit of a tizzy. But fear not, sellers - it's not all doom and gloom for 2024. Research has shown that despite the fall in prices, 93% of sellers still made a profit. Who says those pesky avocado-smeared millennials can't be homeowners, eh? Now let's get to the juicy part: how much moolah did these lucky sellers make? Well, the average gross gain was a whopping £74,000. That's enough to pay off your student loans and still have some left over to feed your secret chipotle habit.

As self-confessed experts in the North London property market jungle (since 1925 darling), and homeowners ourselves, we know all-too-bloomin’ well the wild ride that is selling your home. One of the most important steps in the snakes and ladders game of property is the almighty property valuation. Often a forgotten move, it is the most crucial in finding the sweet spot when it comes to selling up and moving on. Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned investor, the process of valuing a property can be both daunting and confusing all at once. Like a game of Twister with your in-laws after one too many lunchtime mojitos. Well, that’s where we come in (and put the board games away). You need an expert guide to value your property and navigate the process like a PRO. Who’s got questions? Let’s start at the beginning, shall we…

As proud, stray hair-covered pet owners ourselves, we understand the struggle of finding a rental property that welcomes our furry chums with arms as wide as ours. Dog-gone are the days when our beloved pets were seen as a hindrance to finding a place to call home. These days there is an increasing demand for pet friendly rentals, and it's not hard to see why. Pets bring joy, companionship, and a whole lot of (mess) love into our lives, so it's only fair that they should have a place to call their own too (and maybe even a whole bedroom too).

As a faithful London-based renter, the idea of owning a home has probably crossed your mind once or twice. And while you have attempted to brush the fantasy from your mind like Claudia Winkelman’s voluminous fringe, the whispers of homeownership still linger in the air. (Let’s face it, that fringe is going nowhere). Yes, after years of renting you're probably tired of throwing money away on someone else's mortgage. But before you rush into home ownership, it's crucial to understand the true cost of owning a home. It's not just about removal vans and deposits, my friend. There are hidden costs lurking in the shadows and underneath cloaks, ready to surprise you when you least expect it. A rental faithful such as yourself can be recruited into the world of property ownership in the dead of night, so let’s gather all the facts in the meantime…

As we roll ourselves into 2024 like a leftover chocolate roulade gathering resolutions and unsolicited financial advice in our mentions, the London property market remains as unpredictable as mercury in Gatorade. Continuing to be the hot topic for speculation and gossip, the property industry has real main character energy right now. But let's not forget that behind the shiny facades and relentless bidding wars, some real trends and predictions are helping shape its snazzy outlook. Despite facing gruelling challenges like Matt Hancock on a reality show, London's housing market has shown some real resilience. Prices have managed to stay afloat in spite of increasing mortgage rates and interest rates, so let’s ‘rise and shine’ and greet the new year with a head full of real estate knowledge…

Fear not, my fellow house-owners to-be, for there is a superhero in the legal world who can guide us through the treacherous buyer journey… The Solicitor. Much like the elusive Santa Claus himself, they are wise, bring gifts of perfectly wrapped paperwork while you’re sleeping and most importantly - have never been spotted in the flesh. Well, have you caught one in your front room bent over the fire surround delivering mortgage papers? Didn’t think so, Margaret. Today we are asking the age-old question: what exactly is a solicitor when they are at home? And how will they help you buy a house from their secret hideaway in snowy North (Pole) London?

In the world of big fat life goals, timing is everything. From learning to drive to nailing that complicated Beyonce move, your biggest achievements need an appropriate length of time to really perfect. According to Zoopla, it takes approximately 25 weeks to sell a home - from listing to the handing over of keys. But as all we know, there are myriad outside factors that can slow this process down (thanks to old pull-out-last-minute Barry from number 32) or even speed it up (thank you Mrs oh-so-caffeinated-surveyor on fine form). There are also a lot of time frames within those 25 weeks that take their own sweet time to complete. Think offer acceptance timeline, exchanging timeframe, pre-soaking your Christmas pudding timeframe…. the list goes on. Check out our timeframe guide to make sense of all this clock watching and calendar flipping in the heady realm of house sales.

Are you ready to take on the Great British Mortgage-Off? From interest-only to standard variable, there’s more than just one type of mortgage to plump for. When it comes to deciding on your particular recipe, will you choose a fixed-rate, where your monthly payments stay just the same, or a tracker mortgage with potentially lower repayments but could be swayed by some rather unsavoury fluctuations in the market? Let’s explore the tastiest types of mortgages available and find out where to find the creme de la creme of deals. Because after all, the proof of the pudding is in the mortgage. Or something like that. On your marks, get set, broker!

Good afternoon and welcome to the Davies & Davies couple’s guide to renting or buying together. Yes, that is a genuine velvet couch on which you may lounge and unleash your innermost worries. Now, what seems to be troubling you? The stress of a move that’s making you both feel overwhelmed? The impending inevitability of loss looming above your heads like the Sword of Damocles? Your curtains don’t match his drapes? These are common concerns. The answers, as always, lie in communication. At the heart of this article is the advice to listen to each other, air out your worries before you set sail on a move and make your decisions together. With your property plan of action based on mutual agreement and trust, you’ll be signing your papers with a smile (not a hidden worried frown). So pop those tissues down and avoid all that heartache and financial headache with our handy couple’s guide on making the big move together…

So you’ve found that perfect apartment in your dream postcode, within Sunday strolling distance of your favourite coffee shop and dog park. Congratulations! But what’s this? After enquiring about a viewing, you are told there are precisely 76 other potential renters all vying for the same abode. “Nooooo! Why have the rental gods forsaken me!?” you are heard wailing, all the way down in Clapham. Competing for your dream North London rental can often feel like a battle, a war, a murder on the dance floor! It’s no secret that the more desirable properties are snapped up in seconds, and can slip away if you’re not prepared to take the lead (wink). To help you secure that perfect rental, think of it like a dance to the death. Well, to the handing over of keys perhaps.

We’ll admit, that three bedroom garden flat on Stroud Green Road is a rare beauty and has been recently refurbished to boot. But do you really need that third room for your cat’s wardrobe and the basement for wrapping presents? If you’re well within your budget then make that offer post haste, but we’d steer clear of throwing the kitchen sink and all your savings at property before weighing up all the pros and cons first. We don’t just mean financially, either. From asking prices to making sure you’ll be living comfortably post-sale, here’s our decades-old sage advice when it comes to deciding what to offer, and how far to streeeetch, for that dream pad in N4.

Friends, North Londoners, renters, lend us your ears. For we have quite the conundrum to tackle together. Perched precariously atop your non official roof terrace, admiring the quintessential rooftops of inner North London (and, briefly, the state of your star-crossed lover), your mind wanders to the age-old quandary: to rent or to buy? That is the question underlying your Rightmove search history anyway. Though the course of real estate never did run smooth, we have some mis-en-scene to assist you in weighing up the benefits of renting over buying your dream abode. With mortgage rates rising and rental costs catching up, are we such stuff as mortgages are made on or is it the renter who shall bear the charmed life? Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more…

Once upon a time (ten years ago), there existed a double-dip recession and a property struggle among the townsfolk who needed a kindly prince to trot along with a first-time buyer scheme and save them from their plight. Along came a government scheme to boost the real estate market – an equity loan scheme so helpful in fact that it enabled us lowly buyers to borrow up to 40% of our property’s value. Goodness gracious were we fortunate. It is with great sadness, therefore, that we say farewell to the late, great Help to Buy scheme of yesteryear. Registrations for such a coo closed last October in a puff of smoke, leaving some of us grasping at. disappearing floorplans and wondering what in the magic mirror we’re going to do now.

It’s tricky to find some calm in the working day-to-day. Not to mention expensive. But as we often suggest, you can find your own slice of calm in your North London abode if you know how. Well boy do we know how, and there’s not a killer whale in sight. Though it might sound like just another way to sell body-part-scented candles and fluffy rugs, there’s plenty of science behind the importance of a calming living environment for our mental health. So long as your surroundings are pleasing to you personally, it goes a long way to help reducing anxiety, blood pressure and generalised London-induced rage. What’s more, we know how to create a de-stressing home environment on a shoestring - because inner peace is on a budget these days.

Selling up your old home comes with a seemingly never-ending checklist and, often, a good old-fashioned emotional upheaval too. You might be excited about moving on, in which case improving your home's kerb appeal, including re-painting your door and weeding the front garden is a walk in the park. But for many, it can be a stressful time, with a smattering of nostalgia and a healthy dose of financial strain. The last thing you want to be doing right now is fixing up your home for potential buyers while you’re stressing about solicitor's meetings and mortgage brokers. Freshening up your kerb appeal is a necessary evil, however, and will speed up the process. Read on to learn how to muster up the energy and fake it til you make it with our transformation tips...

It’s a bittersweet time, buying your first house. Finally, you understand on a visceral level how fine the lines are drawn between love and hate, excitement and stress, vomit and sweat. One minute you are buying own brand coffee and diligently saving for your deposit, the next you are justifying why you bought a sofa for your cat and contemplating saving up for a time machine instead. While your gorgeous Islington maisonette absolutely is worth the hairs you tore out during the broker interview actually, it needn’t be a full-blown stress fest forever. In the name of rejecting toxic positivity, let’s embrace what we hate about the process together, and learn some handy tips along the way…